Ron and Hermione's Nightmare Shell Cottage
by cjpotter277
Summary: the missing moments in my mind from the moments after escaping Malfoy Manor for Ron and Hermione. Enjoy! I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS USED. PURELY FANMADE


Ron's POV

I grabbed Dobby's hand tightening my grip around Hermione as we were thrown into the familiar and almost secure feeling of apparition. I kept my arm securely around Hermione until I was thrown to the wet ground with a thud Hermione no longer in my grasp. I shot up to my feet quickly and spun around looking for any sign of her. Harry was on his feet moving towards a small mass on the beach; from the look of it ear's it must have been Dobby. I looked towards the east end of the beach and saw a familiar figure lying face down in the sand. "HERMIONE!" I shouted as I started sprinting along the damp sand towards her. She made no movement when I called to her which made me pump my legs even faster. I dropped to my knees as I made it to her and took her face in my hands, she was ice cold. "Hermione," I whispered, "can you hear me?" but she stayed perfectly still. I quickly put my fingers against her neck, she had a pulse but it was weak. Not wasting any more time, I carefully put one arm behind her knees and my other around her shoulders. I picked her up and pulled her in close as I spun around and started racing towards the Cottage.

I continued moving as fast as I could with Hermione limp in my arms. I raced past the others not giving a second thought to turn around, Hermione needed help and I wasn't going to waste any time. The wind and the water from the crashing waves were whipping against my face and hands. I moved my arm in an attempt to shield Hermione's pale face from the assault. As if it even mattered how wet she got in her current condition. I could see the thin cut across her throat from Bellatrix's knife which was allowing a thin train of blood to escape settling on my jacket. I pounded my legs faster and tightened my grasp around Hermione. I pressed her face into the crook of my neck giving her more support. I shivered as her skin touched mine, she was bloody freezing.

"Hermione…" I whispered "…if you can hear me, I need you to wake up…please, please wake up."

I looked down at her face and felt my heart ache as she did not stir or make any sort of movement. A drop landed on her cheek and I looked up at the grey sky assuming a downpour to begin. I quickly realised that the drop had not come from the sky but my eyes which had suddenly started burning with tears. I made no move to look behind me where I had left Harry and the rest; I was focusing on nothing but Hermione and getting her to help.

The cottage was within fifty metres now but I felt absolutely no relief from this fact. Once I made it to the front door I bashed it open with my shoulder ignoring the pain shooting through my torso. I laid Hermione on the small lounge as Fleur quickly rushed into the room. Her reaction to Hermione's condition was not something I needed at the moment but I knew my face would have looked even more distraught. I knelt down next to Hermione's face and took her hand in both of mine as Fleur rushed over to assess her more closely. I was shaking, never had I seen Hermione look so fragile, so vulnerable. I had always seen her as the strong one which proved true, she had all the answers, yet under Bellatrix's wand and knife she had kept them hidden.

"Vhat 'appened to 'er?!" Fleur exclaimed as she felt Hermione's forehead, flinching away at the iciness of it.

"This isn't the time for questions!" I half sobbed "Just help her!"

Fleur didn't ask twice. She half bolted out of the room and returned with an armful of potion's, swabs and bandages. I noticed one of the bottles was "Essence of Dittany" and half smiled down at Hermione's unconscious face. She used the exact same thing on me when I was splinched, when she took care of me."

"Ron, I 'eed to 'ind her injuries," Fleur began, "I vill 'eed to take off some of 'er 'ayers."

She glanced at the kitchen door and looked pointedly at me.

"No, I'm not leaving her" I whimpered. _Not again. _

"Ron…" Fleur started

"I'M NOT LEAVING HER!" I bellowed.

Fleur didn't press the issue but rather began taking off Hermione's jacket. I released her hand to allow the sleeve to be removed then quickly grasped it again. I didn't care how Hermione would react if she knew because I was not leaving her side until she woke up, until she looked at me. I held her hand to my face, "Please wake up…" I pleaded into it. I could hear Fleur make her way down to Hermione's feet, probably removing her shoes. A salty scent caught my attention and I took Hermione's hand from my cheek and looked down at her arm. There didn't seem to be anything abnormal about it, certainly no blood and the wound on her neck had finally stopped seeping. That's when I caught a glimpse of red in the corner of my eye. Her left sleeve had a large patch of crimson expanding on it. I peeled the sleeve back to reveal the source which instantly made my stomach drop even further than when I first saw her on the beach. The distinct letters on her arm spelt the one word that made my blood boil with rage, especially when it was used towards or about her. The word "mudblood" was deeply cut into Hermione's pale forearm and was still bleeding heavily from every one of the horrible letters.

"Fleur, we need to bandage this," I said, my voice shaky as i looked down again at Hermione's arm, "It won't stop bleeding."

Fleur gasped as she made out the word carved into Hermione's arm. Fleur abandoned her task of removing Hermione's shoes and quickly started nursing at her wound. I wanted it covered not only so it could heal but also to make sure that it wasn't one of the first things Hermione saw when she woke up, an instant reminder of what she had just gone through and I was dead certain she wouldn't need any extra reminders of Malfoy Manor. Hermione's breathing seemed extremely laboured which caused a fresh wave of worry to wash over me. Fleur was still applying drops of dittany to Hermione's forearm so I took it upon myself to assess the rest of her condition. Fleur glanced at me as I carefully peeled back Hermione's sweater then her shirt thinking the whole time that she probably would have hit me if she woke up. I half smiled knowing she would do exactly that. I pulled her shirt up gently until it reached the bottom of her ribs. I felt a lump form in my throat as I saw that almost her entire left side was covered in blue and purple bruising, probably along with some fractured ribs. Bellatrix had used more than the 'cruciatus' on her, in fact it looked as if she had been kicked over and over.

I felt more tears form in my eyes. She was broken and there was nothing I could do to fix her. All I could do was sit there like a bloody idiot and hold her hand as Fleur did all the fixing. But if that was all I could do I was sure as hell going to do it. I placed one hand on her stomach feeling it rise and fall with each breath she took, filling me with a little bit more hope each time. Fleur finished attending to Hermione's arm and moved on to her side which I had left revealed. I heard Fleur talking but I didn't take notice of it, I just continued staring at Hermione's pale face and resumed holding her hand, forcing Fleur to work around me.

"She 'vill be 'ine Ron" Fleur said and I nodded in return, unable to speak.

Fleur continued working on her various injuries as I knelt there for what felt like hours. Once she was finished she touched my shoulder then exited the room closing the door behind her.

The only sounds in the room were for my quite sobs and Hermione's slow breathing. I suddenly realised that Hermione's clothes were still soaking from landing on the beach, which were not helping her get any warmer. I placed her hand back at her side and made my way down to the end of the couch. She still had one shoe on so I carefully removed it and placed it on the ground. I removed her soaking left sock and saw a large bruise on her ankle. I took the roll off bandage that was left over from her other wounds and began wrapping it gently around her ankle. When I finished admiring my work i noticed a large lump on the inside of her right sock. I started taking it off causing the mass inside it to fall down to the couch. I let out a sigh as I realised it was her beaded bag; I couldn't believe she still had it on her. I realised why she had suffered most of the injuries on her left side, she was trying to protect the bag. I opened the tie and started digging through the undetectable extension, searching for any kind of clothing. I grasped a soft lump pulling it out to reveal a clean pair of Hermione's socks quickly unravelling them and pulling them on to her near frozen feet. I stopped, thinking I saw her stir. But once I looked up I realised she was in the exact same position as before. I felt disappointment wash over me as I moved on to her soaking sweater. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I carefully started pulling it gently over her head, brushing the hair off her face as I did so. I did the same with her shirt, leaving her tank top which managed to stay dry through the other layers, though there were still patches of blood on it. I fished out another of Hermione's tops and put it on her making sure not to knock her ribs or any other injuries in the process, she was so fragile. I almost shoved my head into the small bag looking for one of Hermione's jumpers but instead pulled out a tangle of Harry's and my clothes. I pulled each item from another throwing them to the side if they weren't suitable for the situation. I was left with my woollen jumper in my hand and quickly dressed Hermione in it. I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was even her current state and she appeared innocent dressed in my jumper, which was huge compared to her slim figure.

I shoved everything back into the bag and took off my jacket which was hardly wet at all. I laid it over Hermione and pressed the back of my hand to her cheek. It was warmer but still freezing. I sat on the very edge of the couch feeling her stomach pressing against my waist as she breathed in. I took both of her hands in mine and started talking in attempt to feel connected to her again in any way.

"Hermione," I started, "I don't know if you can hear me but I need you to hear this anyway…" I gulped as I began again "…I have never felt so afraid, when you were up there with…her" growling the last word. "I was screaming for her to take me instead," I was crying now "I should've done something to stop her! I heard your scream and…and I thought I had lost you." I sobbed into her hand. "I'm so sorry! And I need you to wake up so I can tell you that, so I can tell you that I…" I trailed off as I felt Hermione's fingers twitch slightly. I stopped sobbing and lightly touched her cheek "Hermione?" I croaked. Her hand squeezed mine as her eyes fluttered open. She groaned rubbing her eyes and looked down at her hand which I was still holding tightly.

"Hi" she said in a strained voice weakly smiling at me. I felt myself beam with happiness and relief.

"You're awake!" I exclaimed

"How long was I…" she suddenly stopped her eyes widening. She jumped to her feet, clutching her side as she did so. "Where are we!?" she screamed "I'm dead aren't I!? She killed me didn't she!?"

"Hermione" I said trying to calm her down, "You need to sit down! I need you to look at me…"

She was screaming hysterically "Where's Harry!? I can't be dead! I have to help! I can't leave you!"

Fleur rushed into the room alarmed by the shouting, Bill right on her heels.

"Look at me!" I said as she looked around frantically "You're not dead! Look at me!" I said again grabbing her hands, which were finally a decent temperature, and pulling them to my chest. She stopped screaming and calmed down almost immediately looking at my hands around hers. "Look at me" I whispered as I took my hand and put my finger under her chin, tilting up her face so she was looking at me.

"Do you feel that?" I whispered as she looked deep into my eyes "That's my heart and its beating. Now…" I took one of her hands and pressed it to the centre of her chest which was rising and falling rapidly "What do you feel?" I asked her not letting her gaze leave mine.

She took one deep breath and answered "My heart beat." smiling as she said it.

There was a long pause and I had forgotten that Bill and Fleur were still standing there watching us.

"So logically," I joked trying to lighten the situation "We can't be dead can we?"

"I guess not," she breathed and her expression changed, and I knew that this expression was saying that she wanted answers.

"Oh right," I started "This is Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur's house," I said gesturing to the two who were still standing by the doorway, "Dobby brought us here. Harry's fine, we all escaped and I don't think anyone else was hurt, and no," I grinned "we are not dead. I think that's all of your questions."

Bill cleared his throat and started speaking "Ron, Hermione wasn't the only one who was hurt," he paused looking from me to Hermione, "Dobby was stabbed with Bellatrix's knife, he died on the beach, Harry's digging his grave outside." He concluded waiting for our reactions.

Both Hermione and I stood there speechless. Dobby had saved us and had to pay for it with his own life. It wasn't fair! Hermione started crying grabbing her ribs and cringing with each sob that broke free. I touched her shoulder and she moved towards me. I wrapped my arms around her as she pressed her face into my chest. A few tears began to form in my eyes as I rested my chin of Hermione's head. Fleur and Bill both left the room leaving us alone with our grief. I stood there holding Hermione for ages letting her tears soak their way through my sweater. I rubbed her back soothingly until she pulled away and looked at me; her eyes were red and puffy. I wiped a tear from her cheek with my thumb and brushed it on my jeans.

"He died for us," she spoke her voice even more strained than before "he saved us and had to die because of it! How is that fair?"

"It's not," I said "he shouldn't have died but he has died as a hero, more than millions of witches and wizards have ever done."

Hermione nodded wiping her eyes and started limping towards the couch clutching at her injuries.

"Here," I said putting my arm around her waist and helping her sit down.

"Thanks" she replied, smiling half-heartedly. I couldn't expect anything more than that considering everything that had happened in the last few hours. I sat down next to her and she rested her head on my shoulder. There was a long silence which was broken when Hermione began to speak.

"I want to be there," she said "when Dobby is buried, I want to be there."

I simply nodded in reply before rising to my feet.

"I'm going to go outside and make sure everything's alright." I said, not wanting to leave her alone. She looked up at me and nodded looking as if she was going to burst into tears at any moment. "I will be back in a minute," I assured her "just lie down and rest, and I'll be back before you know it"

"Okay," she whispered as I turned towards the door, before I reached it though I heard Hermione's voice again.

"I'm wearing your jumper" she said although it sounded like a question.

"Oh right, yeah, I uhh," I stumbled with my words "you were cold and…"

I continued stumbling until she cut across my obvious failure of explanation "It smells like you" she said and smiled at me. I felt my cheeks go red as I beamed back at her.

"I'll be right back" I said leaving the room, my heart fluttering and a large grin still printed on my face.

Hermione's POV

Malfoy Manor became a blur. All I could hear the angry screaming of Bellatrix as Ron's arms held me securely at his side. His touch and scent filled me with a sense of safety as blackness covered my mind like a blanket.

I brought myself back to consciousness just as I felt Ron's arms tighten around me and we were thrown into the familiar twisting of apparition. Was this real? I could just as easily have been dead for all I knew. I could still feel the cool touch of Bellatrix's blade on my throat and she wasn't one to hesitate over slitting the throat of a mudblood when she had the chance. I felt my stomach drop even in the twisting of the word around me, I couldn't be dead. I can't die with Ron thinking I hate him, without telling him how I… but my train of thought was cut short as I felt pain shoot through my body as I landed heavily on a wet surface. I dug my fingers into the ground, sand. Was this a beach? I was left wondering as the black veil covered my consciousness once more; the last thing I hearing was a deep voice screaming "Hermione"

I was running through the forest dodging roots and rocks sticking up from the ground. Bellatrix's voice was booming all around me "filthy little mudblood, a parasite on the wizarding world." I was moving as fast as I could trying to get away from the voice, tears streaming down my face.

"Hermione!" a deep voice shouted "Hermione!" he called again and I realised it was Ron shouting for me, he was here as well.

"Ron!" I shouted turning around "Ron where are you!?"

"Don't worry about him, no man will want you once I'm through with you" Bellatrix snarled

I cringed away from the words, knowing I would never forget them, and kept running aimlessly screaming out for Ron. I spun around suddenly hearing footsteps over the booming voice overhead. I squinted into the darkness trying to see who or what it was. My stomach dropped as I made out a tall figure coming out from behind tree and coming towards me. I tried to scream but it didn't make a sound. The figure put its hands up seeming to say it meant no harm but I continued walking backwards until I was trapped by a large tree with roots sticking out at every angle.

"Lumos" the figure muttered and we were both bathed in light

My vision adjusted itself to the sudden light as I focused on the figure's face, it was Ron but his features were eerily perfect.

"Ron!" I yelled, relieved to have him there with me. I ran into his arms and he held me close.

"We need to be quiet" He whispered as he took my hand and started leading me in a new direction.

"Where are we going?" I whispered as we walked deeper into the forest.

"To safety" Ron replied

I kept a firm grasp on his arm as we walked, not wanting to lose him. We came to a large opening free of trees and rocks, and I had just realised that Bellatrix was no longer taunting me from the sky. I let go of him and looked around confused, why was it clear here? I turned to see Ron standing in the middle of the opening and had taken his deluminator out of his pocket.

"Ron," I said, "What are you…wait no! STOP!" I yelled as he pushed the top open and the light within flew to around twenty lanterns surrounding us.

"I've got her" Ron said his tone sinister, seeming to talk to someone who wasn't there.

"Ron, what's happening? What are you doing!?" I hissed

He gave me a wicked grin and then moved his gaze to something behind me.

I turned around, fear pulsating through every part of my body. The felt the breath leave my body as I saw Bellatrix standing there playing with her knife in her hands. She began to pace around me as if judging me like a prize pig in a contest. I spun around when her shrill voice broke the silence.

"Well, well, well" she taunted "look what we have here"

My stomach dropped as she walked behind Ron and grazed her hands along his neck and through his hair. He quickly turned on the spot and seized her wrists. She smiled wickedly at him as he released her hands and put his up into her hair. He pulled her face to his and they kissed ferociously almost devouring each other. I felt like I was going to vomit, this was more than a billion times worse than when I had watched him snog Lavender Brown. I felt my heart tear and my soul die as I watched them unable to move. I wished I was dead right at that moment; I would rather burn to death than watch this any longer. How could Ron do this? He moved from his lips down her neck and she moaned in pleasure. She suddenly directed her gaze at me and smiled.

"Something troubling you?" she asked pouting her lips "Or are you just enjoying the show?"

I didn't answer, I couldn't answer, and my voice was long gone. Ron slowly turned releasing Bellatrix from his arms and grinned at me again.

"Kill me" I whispered, unable to make my voice any louder.

"What did you say?" she inquired like a little child

"Kill me" I said again, my voice only the slightest bit louder

"Did you hear that love?" she said turning to Ron, "She wants to be dead, you must have left quite a mark on her" she said starting to laugh.

I looked down at my shoes, no longer able to look at either of them.

"Of course I did," he chuckled, "You should have seen her after I left her! She was a wreck!"

I looked back up rage starting to bubble within me. They were both cackling away until I broke their moment of joy over my pain.

"So this whole time," I began turning to Ron and fighting back the tears that were burning in my eyes, "you have been one of them, you have been with…her" I finished my tone disgusted.

"Oh yes, who would have suspected me, sidekick to the famous Harry Potter" he laughed.

"How could you do this to us? I thought you were our friend! I thought that, after the past year, I thought that you…" I trailed off as he quickly cut in to finish my sentence.

"Loved you?" he began laughing again, Bellatrix joining in on the fun started to cackle "How could someone like me, love someone like you? How could I love a dirty little mudblood? Compared to her," he said gesturing to Bellatrix "you are nothing. Nothing"

I felt the tears I had been holding back burn even more making my throat burn as well.

"Well if I'm nothing," I screamed letting some tears escape, "why don't you just kill me!?"

"Of course," he said, "I just thought I'd let you know who the real me was before you died. Had to make sure you knew how truly unloved you were."

"HERMIONE!" someone called from behind me

I began to turn but Ron had moved towards me and taken my face in his large hand. I noticed they were much larger than they used to be. He had the knife pressed up against my throat and I could feel a small trail of blood moving down my neck but I felt no pain from the wound.

"Do it now!" Bellatrix shrieked, "He's coming!"

Who was coming? I looked up to see Ron's hair was no longer messy and a bright shade of orange but had become dark brown and styled. He pressed the knife deeper into my neck and I felt more blood trickle from the wound. His face became thin and hollow at the cheeks, what was happening to him? His arms started shaking but the knife moved no deeper into my flesh.

"HERMIONE!" the voice called again closer this time and I heard someone running towards me.

I could feel the warmth of my blood pooling on the front of my shirt but I didn't dare to move.

"STUPEFY!" the voice shouted and Bellatrix was thrown backwards with a thud into a tree.

The vague figure advanced on Ron and grabbed his knife wielding arm.

"Get away from her" the figure growled as he pulled Ron's arm away from my throat and threw him backwards.

I looked at Ron sprawled on the ground, but now after looking closer he wasn't Ron anymore. I didn't know who he was.

"Are you okay?" the voice asked me, a voice that I should have recognised right away.

I spun around to see Ron, a Ron with freckles on his nose and messy ungroomed hair, my Ron. But I couldn't be sure; I had thought that the last Ron had been real. I backed away from him as he began pleading his case.

"It's me! Ron! Ron Weasley!" he said

"I know your name!" I spat back "I had also known this guy's name as well" I said gesturing to the unconscious man on the ground, "At least I did…"

"Look I swear it's me!" he began "Umm… ill prove it, ask me anything!"

I had to think for a minute, what was one thing that only Ron knew, that only my Ron would know.

"Where did we first meet?" I asked

"The Hogwarts express, first year." He said without hesitation

I was still not convinced.

"What's my middle name?"

"Jean"

"What's your patronous?"

"A dog"

"Who did I go with to the Yule Ball?"

"Viktor Krum…that bloody pumpkin head" he said mumbling the last part

"Ron" I whispered running to him and wrapping my arms around him.

We stood like that until a voice ruined the moment.

"Well isn't this touching" Bellatrix snarled getting back to her feet.

Ron let me go and pushed me behind him defensively.

"You stay away from her" he growled back

"Oh, don't you worry, blood traitors are as worthy of death as a mudblood in my books" she said looking from him to me.

"RON!" I yelled as Bellatrix drew her wand

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" she screeched

"EXPEL…" but his voice was broken when the jet of green hit him and threw him into the tree behind me.

"NO!" I screamed and ran over to Ron's body. I took his face in my hands "Ron! RON! Wake up! Please, please wake up!" I yelled at him, knowing deep down that he couldn't hear me no matter how loud I screamed.

"Oh no," Bellatrix said with humour "filthy little mudblood has a broken heart"

I let go of Ron and stood up facing her, my body filled with rage and grief mixing to make a dangerous combination.

"You will regret that you black hearted bitch" I spat at her

"Will I now?" she said raising her wand again

I threw my hand to my pocket only to remember that I didn't have a wand, I was completely defenceless.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" she screeched again and I closed my eyes waiting for the jet to hit me.

After a few seconds nothing came, I carefully opened one eye and saw a ghostly blue shield in front of me. I stood there frozen with shock until a voice came booming down from the sky.

"Hermione," Ron said "I don't know if you can hear by but I need you to hear this anyway" he paused for a moment then continued, "I have never felt so afraid, when you were up there with…her. I was screaming for her to take me instead. I should've done something to stop her! I heard you scream and…and I thought I'd lost you." His voice sounded broken "I'm so sorry! And I need you to wake up so I can tell you that."

What was he talking about? I'm not dreaming… I can't be. Suddenly the shield protecting me from Bellatrix's spell broke allowing her curse to hit me.

As soon as the curse hit I was thrown into darkness but I could still hear Ron's voice.

"So I can tell you that I…" he said trailing off, "Hermione?"

I groaned and rubbed my eyes, shielding them from the violation of light. I looked down at the hand which was clasping mine tightly. As my vision adjusted I looked up into worried eyes slightly covered by a fringe of damp red hair.

"Hi" I croaked while trying to smile.

Ron's face lit up immediately and beamed down at me.

"You're awake!" He exclaimed


End file.
